Dr. Shaohua Yan, Deputy Director and Associate Professor (pre-tenure) at the Center for China–Europe Relations, Fudan University, and Senior Research Fellow of the Institute for National and International Security (INIS), took part in the 5th Round of the EU–China Think Tank Dialogue, held in Hangzhou, China.

The dialogue gathered leading experts, policymakers, and academic representatives from both Europe and China to discuss current challenges and prospects in EU–China relations. The theme of this year’s meeting focused on “Navigating Complexity in the Evolving Global Order.”

In his remarks, Dr. Yan reflected on the need for constructive engagement between Brussels and Beijing, emphasizing that open and frank discussions remain essential for managing shared economic and political challenges. He noted that, despite heightened expectations surrounding the EU–China Summit in July 2025, no agreement was reached, as both sides sought to align their positions through parallel negotiations with the United States.

With Washington now having concluded separate framework deals with both capitals, Dr. Yan raised a crucial question for the policy community:

“Is this the moment for a China–EU deal to stabilize their own economic ties?”

He concluded by expressing optimism that continued intellectual exchange between think tanks and research institutions will play a decisive role in fostering mutual understanding, strategic stability, and balanced global cooperation.

Participants included representatives from the European Policy Centre, Zhejiang University, Alibaba Cloud, and several prominent European scholars such as Wei Shen, Ivano di Carlo, Bart Dessein, and Elvire Fabry. The next round of the dialogue is planned to take place in Bologna.

Dr. Shaohua Yan’s participation underscores INIS’s ongoing commitment to global academic cooperation and cross-regional dialogue on security, diplomacy, and international relations.